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Software · head to head

Akamai vs Netlify

Akamai logo

Akamai

Software

Leading content delivery and security platform

From
$1000/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Netlify logo

Netlify

Software

The fastest way to build the fastest sites

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Netlify has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Akamai only the cloud computing services carry published rates; security and content delivery products require contacting sales for a price; Netlify the free tier is an individual account with 300 credits; team members require the Pro plan at $20 a month
  • They diverge on capability: Akamai covers CDN, Netlify covers Continuous deployment.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Akamai and Netlify actually diverge.

Attributes where Akamai and Netlify differ
AttributeAkamaiNetlify
Starting price$1000/monthFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb
Founded19982014

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Akamai

  • CDN
  • DDoS Protection
  • Web Application Firewall
  • Bot Management
  • Image Optimization
  • Video Platform
  • API Gateway
  • Analytics

Only in Netlify

  • Continuous deployment
  • Instant rollbacks
  • Deploy previews
  • Split testing
  • Forms handling
  • Identity/Auth
  • Serverless functions
  • Edge handlers

Both cover

  • DDoS protection
  • WAF

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Akamai

  • Content delivery and web performance through Ion and adaptive media deliverynot Netlify
  • DDoS protection, bot management and API securitynot Netlify
  • Running compute, Kubernetes and managed databases on Akamai's cloudnot Netlify
  • Edge compute with EdgeWorkersnot Netlify
  • Zero trust access for enterprise applicationsnot Netlify

Netlify

  • Hosting static sites and frontend frameworks with global CDN deliverynot Akamai
  • Deploy previews on every pull requestnot Akamai
  • Serverless functions alongside a static sitenot Akamai
  • Netlify Database and Blob storage for small application statenot Akamai

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Akamai

  • Only the cloud computing services carry published rates; security and content delivery products require contacting sales for a price
  • Cloud pricing varies by region across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific rather than being a single rate

Netlify

  • The free tier is an individual account with 300 credits; team members require the Pro plan at $20 a month
  • Everything is metered in credits, so bandwidth at 20 credits per GB and production deploys at 15 credits each consume the allowance in ways a bandwidth figure alone would not show
  • Compute is billed at 10 credits per GB-hour, so server-rendered work costs more than static hosting
  • Running past the allowance means buying credit packs, at $5 for 500 on Personal and $10 for 1,500 on Pro
  • AI inference is priced by model rather than at a flat credit rate

Pricing, plan by plan

Akamai

$1000/month
  • CDN$1000/month
    • Content delivery
    • Global edge network
    • Real-time analytics
  • Security Suite$2000/month
    • DDoS protection
    • WAF
    • Bot management

Netlify

Free
  • StarterFree
    • 100GB bandwidth
    • 300 build minutes
    • 1 concurrent build
  • Pro$19/month
    • 400GB bandwidth
    • 25,000 build minutes
    • 3 concurrent builds
  • Business$99/month
    • 600GB bandwidth
    • 35,000 build minutes
    • 5 concurrent builds
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom bandwidth
    • Custom build minutes
    • Unlimited concurrent builds

Which should you pick?

Choose Akamai if

  • You need cdn.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want ddos protection.
Akamai review

Choose Netlify if

  • You need continuous deployment.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want instant rollbacks.
Netlify review

Questions people ask

Is Akamai or Netlify better?
Neither clearly leads. Akamai starts at $1000/month and Netlify at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Akamai or Netlify?
Netlify has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1000/month for Akamai and Free for Netlify.
Does Akamai or Netlify run on more platforms?
Akamai runs on Web, Api. Netlify runs on Web.
Can I use Netlify for free?
Yes. Netlify has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Akamai starts at $1000/month.
What is Akamai best used for?
Akamai is most often used for content delivery and web performance through ion and adaptive media delivery, ddos protection, bot management and api security, running compute, kubernetes and managed databases on akamai's cloud, edge compute with edgeworkers. Of those, content delivery and web performance through ion and adaptive media delivery and ddos protection, bot management and api security are not what Netlify is typically brought in for.
What can Akamai do that Netlify cannot?
Akamai covers CDN, DDoS Protection, Web Application Firewall, Bot Management. Netlify covers Continuous deployment, Instant rollbacks, Deploy previews, Split testing. Both handle DDoS protection, WAF.
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